Monday, January 16, 2012

Recreational Sports in Your City

If you feel like you're not as involved in your community as you'd like to be, recreational sports are a quick and fun way to simultaneously meet people and stay in shape. Many cities offer a wide variety of sports leagues through their parks and recreation departments. Popular sports include:

Dodgeball: We all remember the great times we had playing Dodgeball during recess in elementary school. Experience nostalgia when you sign up for recreational Dodgeball at your rec department. Dodgeball is a fun sport that is often played with co-ed teams. There are some players that take this game pretty seriously, so you may want to watch a few matches before you jump right into the middle of a game!

Tennis: Did you used to be a tennis star in high school or college? Recreational tennis is a great way to maintain your skills and experience some healthy competition. While you may be used to playing on nice facilities, tennis courts at an outdoor park with simply a tennis windscreen will work just as well. Oftentimes rec centers will set up matches and mini tournaments on weeknights and weekends so all you have to do is sign up. No need to find a playing partner...unless you're playing doubles, of course!

Baseball: Whether or not you can smash a baseball past the stands, situated behind the baseball netting, and out of the park, baseball is a sport that almost anyone can enjoy. The great thing about baseball is that recreationally, it doesn't take a lot of continuous running or physical activity. Sure, you have to run the bases, providing you hit the ball, but in general, rec baseball can be fun because it gives you a chance to talk with your other teammates without feeling as though you're huffing and puffing.

If you don't feel as though you're athletic, but want to be involved with some sort of team activity, try a non-contact sport such as bowling or Ping-Pong.

While many large cities already have organized recreational sports teams that are fairly easy to join, there's a chance that your city's rec department doesn't offer any organized programs. This should not prevent you from participating! Try creating your own team with some of your friends or co-workers. Perhaps once you start a team, it'll encourage others in your community to get involved. Recreation participation promotes camaraderie and a sense of community, so whatever your athletic ability and interest may be, there's a sport for you!